During walkaround; first officer of A320 notes missing seal between fuselage and leading edge slat.

Attributes
ACN	674151
Time
Date	200510
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 15500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	674151
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Flight operated mco to den; with planned continuation to ZZZ1 and ZZZ2. During preflight in den; I noticed a small section of seal missing between leading edge slat and aircraft body. Closer inspection revealed missing on both sides. Maintenance inspected and found both sides to have a portion of seal torn away. To my recollection; the seal was intact in mco. I also performed preflight in mco. This is a difficult seal to see; as it was torn on the underside of the wing and behind the strake on the leading edge of the A320. Also not something I recall being pointed out on any preflight training tape. Nor is this something I have often seen and know to look especially for. I will in the future; as it turned out this was a no-go item and required repair before departure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING WALKAROUND; FO OF A320 NOTES MISSING SEAL BTWN FUSELAGE AND LEADING EDGE SLAT.

Narrative: FLT OPERATED MCO TO DEN; WITH PLANNED CONTINUATION TO ZZZ1 AND ZZZ2. DURING PREFLT IN DEN; I NOTICED A SMALL SECTION OF SEAL MISSING BTWN LEADING EDGE SLAT AND ACFT BODY. CLOSER INSPECTION REVEALED MISSING ON BOTH SIDES. MAINT INSPECTED AND FOUND BOTH SIDES TO HAVE A PORTION OF SEAL TORN AWAY. TO MY RECOLLECTION; THE SEAL WAS INTACT IN MCO. I ALSO PERFORMED PREFLT IN MCO. THIS IS A DIFFICULT SEAL TO SEE; AS IT WAS TORN ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE WING AND BEHIND THE STRAKE ON THE LEADING EDGE OF THE A320. ALSO NOT SOMETHING I RECALL BEING POINTED OUT ON ANY PREFLT TRAINING TAPE. NOR IS THIS SOMETHING I HAVE OFTEN SEEN AND KNOW TO LOOK ESPECIALLY FOR. I WILL IN THE FUTURE; AS IT TURNED OUT THIS WAS A NO-GO ITEM AND REQUIRED REPAIR BEFORE DEP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.